


A Hard Day

by ShittyCit



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: In which im repetitive and use a chef akuma, My First Work in This Fandom, i am trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 18:42:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6621967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShittyCit/pseuds/ShittyCit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette's day ahead looks like a hard one. It ends up being one, though not for the reason she thought.<br/>I am ML trash, also ...my take on the ever awaited reveal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Suspicious window

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also shout-out to both my boyfriend and my friend Milena for proofreading this. And putting up with me being trash... even if we all are.
> 
> Check Miles tumblr for some amazing multi-fandom art, including of course, Miraculous Ladybug <3 :  ♡ 

Now, today was going to be hard. 

As the akuma numbers increased in the latest days Ladybug and Chat Noir had the need to establish patrols to watch the city. Even though running through the roofs of a not-so-big city as Paris wasn’t hard or slow for either of them, chaos still ensued whenever an akuma was present, especially if it caused damage to the city (even if said damage would be repaired after). And thus they felt the need to make sure they were fast to get to wherever it was.

The exact reason for the complication was that Mme. Bustier had just given a research paper due tomorrow (of all days!) on math, which definitely wasn’t Marinette’s best subject. And yet today was technically her turn to watch over the city… that is to say technically because even though they had turns, most of the time she and Chat Noir ended up running together around the city making sure everything was okay. So, today was going to be really hard. 

She considered calling Chat, maybe she could convince him to go around the city on his own, and she could do her homework on costume so if anything popped up she would just go and help. It wasn’t such a bad idea, plus her parents weren’t home due to some cooking contest her dad had decided to enter, so with the bakery closed and her parents gone she could definitely walk around full-on Ladybug and not worry. 

Finally deciding, she called him. She stood in front of one of her bedroom walls, hoping it would be inconspicuous enough. When he finally picked up she realized he was also still at his place, given the background he had, a wide window. 

“Oh, My Lady I see you couldn’t resist yourself until our time to meet up to see me.” He paused for a moment, waiting for a reply. Once he saw she only rolled her eyes he continued. “I was about to go off to our meeting point.”

“Oh, yeah so was I. Except, well…” she didn’t feel comfortable with this, it was her responsibility to protect Paris, not leave Chat to do it alone… she trailed off, avoiding his gaze and fixing her eyes on the background of her screen. There was something familiar about it. Yes, she was sure she had seen it some time.

Then again she was used to seeing the panorama of the Parisian streets, so it wouldn’t be weird if they had gone over Chat Noir’s roof at some point. Hell, they had ended up meeting her parents as Ladybug and Chat Noir one time. And, anyways, she knew she was avoiding the subject, but still that window looked familiar…

“Ladybug?” Chat finally interrupted her train of thought, looking concerned. 

“I um… I’m not sure I can make it today, I have this big paper due tomorrow, and…” She interrupted herself. She sounded like a bad liar, refusing to do her duty. “You know what, never mind. I’ll meet you at our usual spot, okay?”

“Uhhh, okay.”

 

Adrien was the one to cut up the communication, and jumping swiftly off his window he took course to their usual rendezvous, closer to the school rather than his house.

Now he was even more curious over Ladybug. Anytime even a little bit of their normal lives crossed it brought questions to his mind. Especially now, this was the first time she had a reason not to go patrolling with him that wasn’t being sick, and yet she had refused to use it and decided to go anyway. So righteous, his lady. He wanted to know what her paper was about, could he help her, was she bad at school, although he didn’t think so, she always seemed to him like a capable girl …still, everybody had bad subjects. 

When he got there she was already waiting for him. “Took you long enough, huh, kitty?” He wasn’t surprised; even though he didn’t live far from there she always beat him to their meeting point. He guessed she lived even closer, but never really asked knowing what her answer would be. “So… homework? Do you happen to need any help?”

“Yes and no. Thank you, you alley cat. Now, can we get down to work?”

“After you, my lady.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not planning to torture anyone further with the window but then it happened.


	2. More puns, less stress!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien's too much of a nerd <3

They started running their usual path in comfortable silence and pace, first to the right all the way to the park near the Eiffel Tower, then climbing it up to get a better sight. At least up to this moment things were calm, and Marinette hoped it kept like that so she could go back early to her homework.

“Mind if we rest for a moment?” said Chat. It was a strange question, given he didn’t look tired at all. However she knew if there was a better place to rest and still keep watch of the city, they had not found it yet. Sitting on top of the Eiffel Tower was definitely a plus on the superhero-and-civilian-life balance, even if it was more of a duty than a pleasure.

“I am for real, you know. I’m actually very good at school”. Said Chat Noir, breaking the silence. 

“I know. I am not bad at school, mind you.” It was surprising however to hear him say he was good. _Very good_. She had always kind of assumed that his careless attitude was a pivotal part of his whole life, school included. Maybe he wasn’t the worst, but she couldn’t think of him as a hardworking, studying-late-at-night, honor roll student. Now, she wasn’t one either, but she considered herself quite good, above average at least. Even with the superhero responsibilities. “But really, it’s just a stupid research paper. It takes me more time to even read what I’ll write it about than actually writing it.” 

 

Seeing this side of Ladybug was, to say at least, interesting. It wasn’t every day that she dared to talk about their normal lives, not even homework related stuff. Adrien thought she really had to be stressed about it to, a) even consider skipping patrol duty and, b) talk about it out loud… with him. She needed his support, and he would give it, even if just over some heavy duty homework, even if her pride stood in the way. 

“Well, my lady the mew-ment you change your mind please let me know. As I would be paw-sitively open to help you.” He stood up, bowed down to her, and then smiled up just to see her pinching the bridge of her nose. Good, that was more the kind of mood she needed. More puns, less stress. Hey, he should make that his life motto!

“Can we go back to patrolling now, Chat?” She stood up next to him, ready to keep on sprinting over the city. He understood, the time to talk was over, no more meddling on her life.

Now they took back to their meeting point, but making an ample curve, to cover the most of space possible. And just when they were about to get back, he heard it. The unmistakable sound of chaos. He turned his head towards the sound, and saw it. A multitude running and trampling away from a building.

“Great, just what I needed.” Ladybug sounded extremely annoyed, but she took a deep breath and jumped to action. Adrien followed close behind, until they were right in front of the building in question. Now that most of the people had run away the place was almost deserted. From what he could tell there had been cooking going off until only a couple minutes ago.


	3. Nacho-ur best day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wuuu, actual fight! Kinda?

Marinette stood still for a second measuring the possibilities of attack, on moments like this she was almost certain that the bad luck was definitely hers and not Chat’s. How come the day she had a load of homework and patrol duty, the day she thought her parents would be safe being away and all an akuma appears and it’s on no other than the place they were. 

“We need to rush to see if everybody is out.” She decided and went down to the main entrance of the building. She really hoped her parents had been able to escape to whatever this akuma wanted. 

The place was empty, at least on the main hall. They walked up to a door at the back, which had a banner with a photo of someone Marinette didn’t recognize that read “Chef Letourneau’s cook off!” Well, this was the place all right. She made a stopping motion, and then counted down with her fingers so that she and Chat Noir had the surprise element. They kicked the door open, and entered. 

They were welcomed by a bizarre image. A weird chef-like figure was throwing a variety of knives to the people remaining, and when they hit the person in question started applauding and praising the akuma. Many cooks and various persons were still hiding behind the working stations and seats scattered through the room, stealing glances at the spectacle before them, among the people Marinette spotted her parents. 

“I donut understand what’s the fuss. I guess its nacho-ur best day, huh?” Chat Noir stated, never wasting a moment to say dumb jokes. He cracked his knuckles and charged forward to the akuma, kicking him out of the way. This got it closer to some of the working stations on the back, where he grabbed someone from behind a counter. 

The akuma smiled darkly, and picked a knife out of the many he had. Just in time Chat kicked him again, letting the woman escape from the grip of the akuma. “Now, that wasn’t very knife of you. I guess we should teach you some manners.” 

“You! I lost again because of you!” Now he seemed angry, the battle was just about to begin. 

Marinette prepared, still worried about her parents and the possibility they got hurt but ready to face whatever happened.

“Wait, Michael. Calm down, there’s no reason for you to go bersek”. It was a different guy now, that was on the crowd on the side of the counters rather than behind, God... didn’t he know he shouldn’t try to reason with an akuma? She was fast enough to take him out of the picture, putting him safely in the back of the room.

“MY NAME IS NOT MICHAEL. I AM SALT! AND YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR YOUR UNFAIR JUDGEMENT!” 

So, it was time to fight. It didn’t take much to restrain the guy, her yoyo and Chat’s surveillance were enough to keep him in place, and in a couple of minutes she was ready to use Lucky Charm. This time it gave her a bell with a string, kind of like a collar. What on earth was she supposed to do with it? Well, first she should probably search for wherever the akuma was nested. She was almost certain it was on his pin, a small golden dove that glistened with the light. “It’s gotta be the pin, Chat!” 

Chat Noir ripped the pin off his apron and sent it flying to her. And just when she was about to break it in half the door swung open with a loud thud. Her already weak focus made her drop it, but it didn’t break. 

On the door stood a figure similar to Salt, except it looked feminine. In her arms she held the banner guy, Letourneau, who was struggling to free himself. “Time for dinner, love!” she yelled.

However when she saw Salt on the ground secured she threw Letourneau towards Marinette. Even though she was facing to the door she wasn’t fast enough, and since she couldn’t catch the guy she decided to soften his landing, sending herself against one of the cabinets of the work stations. The force that the guy had been thrown pushed her all the way to the wall, hitting her head. 

“No!” With Chat Noir distracted enough worrying over her Salt got free, and now it was 2v1. 

 

Adrien decided to use Cataclysm. Even if he couldn’t immediately go help his lady he could buy some time. He took a sprint for the pin, still on the ground. However he never made it. As the other akuma picked him up and threw him against the furthest wall. “This girl is definitely strong” was the last thing he could think of before he passed out.


	4. We can overcome this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long Chapter, my beautiful babies being weak and breaking my heart

When Marinette woke up Tikki was beside her, pressing her shoulder with all her force. “What happened?? Wh-where are we Tikki?” Everything was pitch black, except by the slight red light that Tikki gave and another dim green light some meters further.

“Mar-Ladybug! Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay. Does anything hurt?” Tikki sounded very worried, but she brushed it off, yes the hit she took had been bad, but she was tough. 

“Are you good to go? How long was I gone?” 

“I need a bit more time, but don’t worry it was only a couple of minutes, you de transformed not so long ago… so I guess five minutes at most?” Marinette searched her bag for the cookies she usually carried for these emergencies, and gave one to Tikki who settled happily on her leg. 

Now that she was quiet she could hear another voice.

“Booooooy, get up already!” said the voice. Oh. She guessed Chat had already de transformed as well, although she didn’t remember him using Cataclysm. She really hoped things would keep dark, it would make for a weird scene seeing each other like that. “I am up now, Plagg… what happened?” he groaned.

“You were crushed, and not by your crush.” 

“Plagg?” She asked curiously, she guessed that was the name of Chat’s kwami. It was so weird to finally meet him, even if it was as if he was sort of always there, on the battle.

 

“Ladybug?!?! Are you okay?” Adrien struggled to his feet, the blow from earlier still heaving on his head, and now without night vision. He tripped but landed on all fours, and still scrapped towards where he had heard her voice.

 

“Chat, calm down, I’m just fine…” The times he got all worrywart were as annoying as his dumb jokes, not even her mom got like that. Her mom… she needed to get back as soon as possible. “Does your kwami need a cookie? I have some extras in case this happens, we need to be ready as fast as we can.”

 

“Sorry, but Plagg here only eats cheese… stinky cheese. But don’t worry, I also have some for him. You’re not the only one who’s cautious.” Adrien took out the camembert and handed it to Plagg, who started eating it away happily. He wasn’t sure but just now he thought Ladybug sounded more stressed than before. He decided to ask, either way they would have to wait a couple of minutes until Plagg and her kwami were ready, so why not use it for good things. 

“Are you really okay?” He had tried to sound less worried than he was, but honestly he had only seen her stressed to a breaking point two times, and he wanted to try keeping it that way.

“Yes, for the thousandth time, I am fine.” She sounded mad now, as if his insistence was not welcomed. However he realized the small note of a lie had snuck up on her line. “You don’t have to tell me but, I… I think it would help if you did.”

“I can’t… it would be too dangerous.” What did she mean dangerous? If it had to do with the akuma they had to face it together, they were a team, she couldn’t just stand alone. He decided to sneak up to her, keep her talking until he was close enough to make sure she was all right. 

“Why would it be dangerous? We’re a team, you can tell me anything.”

“It’s not that, you know I trust you, but it’s more complicated than that… personal stuff.” She said the last part on a whisper, almost inaudible. 

“Oh.” He got it, there was just one thing she didn’t trust him with, her personal life. He felt that should be something they could share, but he respected her decision. “So we can just say some important people are out there…? Don’t worry we’ll make sure they’re safe.”

“I know. I just wish we could make sure they are safe right now.” 

That he could understand, he was constantly on his toes, even with her... who was probably the only person he knew that was fully capable of protecting herself. “Just wait a couple of minutes, everything will be all right.”

She didn’t answer for a second, seeming to think through what had just happened. 

“Lucky charm had never failed… What if we can’t get out of this one?” He was positive that Lucky charm had worked, just not at the right time… if they had known there were two and not one akumas then they would have won.

“We already did, our Miraculouses are still with us. We can overcome this.” He wasn’t used to cheer her up, but he hoped that would be enough to make her see it would be all right. After hearing her voice Adrien was now sure that she was right in front of him, and he searched for her hand in the darkness.

“Chat…stop that! It’s not time for your nonsense.” He had already supposed she would get mad about it, thinking he was just trying to make a move on her, when in reality he wanted to make sure she was okay.

“Sorry my lady, you could say I’m a bit afraid of the dark.” Adrien was well aware this was a lie, at least partially. After being Chat Noir he now knew that the darkness that blinded his eyes was nothing that could compare to the darkness on someone’s heart, so his irrational fear had slowly retreated. The night vision had definitely helped. But right now, de transformed, it was gone.

Ladybug started laughing uncontrollably, the sound filling up the room they were in. “I-I’m sorry… I just hahahaha… y-you’re afraid of the dark? Hahahahahaha”. 

“Kind of, yeah”. He didn’t mind her laughing, except the timing was so weird, he started to think she had lost it. Shortly her laugh started to fade, first into small giggles until it completely disappeared. 

“Sorry Chat… I. “She interrupted herself. He waited patiently, looking for her hand again. “I am just scared, you know. What if we can’t make it? What will happen to all those people outside? We’re supposed to save them and yet, we’re here trapped and unable to do something.” This was the second surprise today. He never imagined Ladybug to actually trust him so much as to show him she was afraid. It was true they trusted each other with their lives, but anything too personal was usually out of the line.

Still it made him take a further step. He searched for something on his pocket. Finally he found it… not-so-long ago Marinette had given him this bracelet, and even though he wasn’t sure why, he had kept it with him. It was supposed to be some sort of lucky charm to help her win on videogames, but it brought peace to his mind. He also cherished it as a good memory, one of the first times she wasn’t uncomfortable around him, and he found that was an improvement to pave the road to their friendship. He still felt as though maybe she still resented him but he hoped that day he had showed her he wasn’t a bad person. 

“Here… a friend of mine gave this to me some time ago. I never found the way of returning it, and wearing it would have probably not been the best idea.” Marinette would probably kill him if he did. “It’s a lucky charm, and since yours didn’t work, maybe this one will.” Knowing that there was no way Ladybug would know about Marinette giving it to him took the weigh off his shoulders. He searched for her wrist, and then blindly made his way to close the bracelet around it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I just needed the bracelet to be here so damn much <3
> 
> Also i totally have a headcannon of Adrien being afraid of the dark. Don't worry, the freak out is on the next chapter. ;)


	5. I'd rather cheese anyday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A part of the freakout, also Tikki getting mad at Plagg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if Tikki feels a bit OoC but yeah... Also sort of contains origin spoilers, kinda(?)

Marinette moved her left arm towards her leg, where Tikki was almost done with her cookie. She knew Chat meant good, and she truly appreciated him going out of his way to cheer her up. Now her curiosity won her over, and she decided to use Tikki’s slight glow to see whatever Chat had put over her wrist.

It was impossible. There was no way, unless… No, it couldn’t be. Because she had given her bracelet to Adrien. And Chat had it? But well, Chat had said a ‘friend of mine’, not ‘my friend Marinette’ so it could just be that Chat Noir and Adrien were friends. Yes, that totally could be… and Adrien had given him a lucky charm because Chat always had bad luck. Ugh, but she knew Adrien didn’t have many friends, he had always been homeschooled. Maybe Chat was also a model? That’s why he knew Adrien and why he acted like that all the time...

 

Adrien saw Ladybug move her left hand towards her kwami, probably attempting to make out the uneven shapes of the stones that composed the bracelet. Then it was just as if she had disappeared, no sound, no movement. Her kwami moved away as she jerked her hand back, and eventually he heard muffled sounds he couldn’t make. Was she crying? Oh no, he had made her cry. Maybe she was letting all the stress out. It wasn’t okay; he didn’t like to think he was the one causing it, even if he wasn’t sure what exactly it was that he caused.

 

Tikki had just caught a glimpse of the bracelet on Marinette’s wrist, but she was sure of what she had seen. “Plagg, can you come over here?” she called the other kwami, to confirm her suspicion. “Right now”.

“I’m coming, no need to yell.” He responded.

She pulled him apart, where neither of the teens could listen. “What. Was. That? I’m sure you knew, so please give me a reason as to why hadn’t you at least contacted me”.

“Can you blame me? It’s not my fault you’re not sensitive as me to other kwamis.” Tikki knew he was right, out of all of them she was the only one who couldn’t sense any of the others. Still, that wasn’t a reason for him not to let her know he was so close.

“Right. Okay so, let’s say I went and told you ‘Adrien is Chat Noir’. What would you have done? Go and tell Marinette, yes? How would that have been good? Please tell me, oh so wise creation kwami.”

“Well, for starters we wouldn’t be in this situation. Second these two would have been together for a long time. Third, the fighti-“ 

“Wait. You and I both know this situation could be pretty much the same, except with actual names instead of superhero ones. Now, about being together, who are you kidding? Adrien thinks Marinette dislikes him, if not worse, after that chewing gum incident. What would happen if he knew the girl who had been rejecting him with a mask was also the one he thought hated him without it? Disaster. We would probably have one less person on this room. And don’t even get me started on your girl, she can barely manage to spit a coherent sentence in front of him, how could she manage to go on patrol?”

 

“You go and apologize for what you just said! She’s so much more than that and you know it! Couldn’t you be a little more insensitive, Plagg?!”

Adrien saw the little red light coming back from a far corner of the room. What had Plagg said to her? She seemed so sweet and cute, but just now she sounded very angry. Plagg was also coming back, but towards him. “What just happened?”

“Nothing. Women are too difficult… I’d rather cheese any day”.


	6. Just plain old Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Actual fight and a bit more of Marinette being a mess.

“I’m ready, Ladybug. Let’s get this done with.” Said Tikki almost too loud. Marinette wasn’t ready at all. She was too lost to even process whatever had just happened between Tikki and Plagg.

“Yes, my lady. Let’s make sure everyone’s safe.” This brought tears to her eyes again. Wait, again? She took her hand to her eyes, oh god, she had been crying without noticing. What was she going to do? She wasn’t sure she could fight alongside Adrien… No, Chat Noir, she should think of him as just Chat Noir, at least until this was finished, then she could go and lose her mind somewhere else.

“O-okay Tikki. Is Plagg ready?”

“Yeah, I’m sure he can handle.”

“Hey I can talk on my own, thank you very much.” 

“No more talking, just action. Plagg, claws-“

“Wait!” Marinette interrupted Chat (just plain old Chat) “I should go first, else your night vision would come back and no more secret identities.” Not that they were secret anymore, but right now her freak out was more than enough for both of them.

 

Adrien had really hoped she wouldn’t realize, but she did. He wanted to see her, to imprint her image on his mind and search that girl so she would know he was there for her, mask on or off. “Sure, whatever pleases you, my lady”.

“Tikki, spots on!” The reddish light almost blinded Adrien, and he knew it was now his turn. “Plagg, claws out!” In a moment he was Chat Noir, and now he could make sure to get them out safely. He took Ladybug’s arm and guided her towards the door. It was locked, but nothing a couple of kicks couldn’t open.

They were in a basement, probably. Given the long set of stairs outside of the door they came out. They started jumping on, going up until they got to a second door, one that went right onto the main hall. 

Things had gotten worse, now every person they had seen was praising the akumas. In the center of the room they were both running around between work stations, presumably cooking various things. Some of the contenders were still cooking, however their creations didn’t look very good. On a far table sat Letourneau and other people, playing the role of judges. 

“Seems we got out in time for the main dish! Did you miss us?” Adrien smiled, he was sure they would easily win. Funnily enough the other Lucky Charm was still there, lying on the ground. He picked it up and threw it towards Ladybug; maybe she would have an idea of what to do with it.

“Chat, cover me!” she started running towards the other akuma, and he followed pulling out his baton to make sure no one could land a hand on her.

“You! Go catch them!” Said Salt to the crowd, while throwing knives towards them. This was the biggest quantity of people they had ever had to fight together… maybe it wouldn’t be that easy. Who was he kidding, it would still be a piece of cake!

He saw Ladybug putting the first lucky Charm around the wrist of the other akuma. Right! Now they would know where she was! He realized that the other akuma had a similar pin to Salt, so it meant her akuma was also there. They prepared to fight side by side, one more time.

It was good they knew where the other akuma was by sound, now it wouldn’t take them by surprise. It seemed to him she was faster and stronger, while Salt only threw knives around. “Chat!” He was taking a look around, he hadn’t realized maybe someone he knew could be in there. 

He turned to see Ladybug making gestures, she wanted to take them a far from the crowd. It made sense, whoever that important person was they were already under control of Salt, no need for extra harm. He put his thumb up, and started distracting Salt, making sure he followed towards the damaged wall of the back. “Follow the kitty, Salt.” He was past the halfway when he heard a voice.

“Salt, come back over here!” said the other akuma. It was a first, Ladybug had not managed to trick her towards the back, they were fighting in the middle of the room. “I can handle him, Pepper.”

He took this as his cue, maybe it wasn’t the far back, but he could take Salt down on his own, and Ladybug would take care of Pepper. She seemed a bit stressed still, but he knew she could do it. He already knew where the akuma was so there was nothing to stand on his way.

He continued against Salt, waiting until the right time to use Cataclysm. “Okay, let’s get this done with. Lucky Charm!” in the hands of Ladybug a tablecloth appeared, and in an instant he saw her eyes gleam with knowledge. “Incoming!” 

She took a weird turn around Pepper’s arms, and in a second she had her hands tied, still instead of taking her pin she started running towards them. He took off back to her, Salt on his toes, screaming for Ladybug to free Pepper. 

On the last second before meeting, Adrien jumped towards Pepper and took off her pin. “Cataclysm!” He destroyed the pin for good, freeing the black butterfly inside it. In the meantime Ladybug had taken off Salt’s pin, and then stomped on it. The two black butterflies flied around each other, and then they were purified by Ladybug. “Miraculous Ladybug!”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrien thinks he's so sneaky...   
> So I'm not very creative and we have Salt and Pepper, sue me.


	7. Aren't you joining me?

Now everything was back to normal, some cooks wondering what the hell was the “food” in front of them. Adrien looked around again, trying to figure out who could it be that Ladybug knew there. He got close to her and asked “Want to do a quick round, my lady? Make sure everyone’s all right?” He smiled playfully. She had a weird expression, but nodded anyway. 

They ran around rather fast, there were a lot of people and not much time for ‘thank you’s. He realized he did know some people. A couple chefs he had seen on Le Grand Paris, Marinette’s parents and a guy that had once tried to work at his house. He tried to greet them all, but the only ones he had met as Chat Noir were Marinette parents, so he couldn’t really stay too long or it would be suspicious.

When they were almost done a small beep resounded, telling Ladybug it was time to go. It wouldn’t take long until it was his time too.

“Time to go, my lady?” He bowed down. She started sprinting towards the door, but then she paused and turned back. “Aren’t you joining me?” Well, if she said so. No need to insist. An extra minute with her was better than nothing.

 

They ran out the venue, jumping away to the nearest roof. Well, it was finally done, now for the difficult part.

“Hey Chat, can you join me for a moment?”

“But my lady, our transformations are about to go off.” 

“I know… would you mind walking me to our meeting point?” Marinette was nervous, but she knew she had to do this. If it was the other way around she would have liked Adrien to tell her, even if she would much rather neither of them knew at all.

“Uuhh, my lady if you want to go on a romantic walk with me you just have to say the word.” This was too much, knowing Adrien fought alongside her was bad enough, listening to him saying all of that was too much for her head. They were already close to their meeting point, so she kept jumping until they made it there.

“I just want to return the lucky charm you gave me.” She wasn’t sure how would he take it, maybe think of it as rejection, but it was the only way it occurred to her of how to do it. She gestured for him to sit down.

“B-but, your secret identity??” In a matter of seconds it won’t matter anymore, Adrien. 

“Then, would you close your eyes?” It would be easier this way. He would see her at his own pace instead of having the same out-of-the-blue experience she had. She watched him close his eyes slowly, just as the last of the ticking sounds before her de transformation sounded. Tikki stared at her wide-eyed, and asked on gestures if she was sure. She wasn’t, but now there was no turn back. She raised her wrist, asking Tikki for help to undo the knot that kept the bracelet in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *drumrolls*


	8. Keep your cool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally.... or maybe not?

Was this really happening? For almost a year he had been dreaming of this day, and now it seemed he would finally get to see the girl under the mask. To swear his love both ways, to prove he was someone to trust. At least he hoped, there was always the chance she would transform back after giving him the bracelet.

He felt her hands tie the bracelet around his wrist, instead of putting it on his open hand, as he thought she would do.

“You can open your eyes now.” Wait, IT REALLY WAS HAPPENING OH MY GOD. OH NO, AGRESTE KEEP YOUR COOL. BUT HOW IF I ONLY HAVE LIKE ONE MINUTE BEFORE I DE TRANSFORM TOO… OH GOD.

He opened his eyes slowly, taking deep breaths as not to make a mistake. He didn’t want to scare her, this was a moment too important to mess it up. The girl in front of him smiled shyly, as though he would pass away. No, he was sure he had already died, gone to hell and back. 

All his ideas of reaffirming his love, to kiss her, to even move, goddamnit, went away. He couldn’t. How could him? She would definitely hate him if she didn’t already. 

 

“Adrien?!” Oh God, she had messed up bad. At least he was still there, he hadn’t run in repulsion. That was good, right? “Adrien, Please say something.”

“I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, I get it.” Of course she did, she wasn’t the person he (or anyone) would expect under the costume. She was clumsy, dumb, and overall not-very-Ladybug. “I know it’s too weird, but please… please, I can’t do this alone. Please don’t stop being Chat Noir. I know I’m not what you would expect of Ladybug but I… I just needed to tell you, if it was the other way around I know you would have done the same. I just couldn’t keep it to myself, an-“

“What? You don’t… you aren’t mad I’m Chat Noir?” Okay, she wasn’t following. Yes, it was weird, yes the puns still sucked, and yes she was too confused about her feelings …but she was sure she was not mad. 

“Why would I be? I mean, you’re Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir“. As to prove her point he changed back to his normal self on that exact moment. She gestured towards him. ”You’ve saved my life countless times and stood up for me, and yes it’s weird with the whole sort of love square going on, but I think we can pull this through. Or at least we have to, else who’s going to defend Paris? I am still very confused and I guess you are too, but right now we need to put that behind us and look forward.”

“Love square?” Good, she had just added that to the sentence trying to be honest to him (as he usually was to her) without compromising anything. And of all the speech he had only picked up on that. “Chat Noir, Ladybug, you and me…” she responded.

“Oh.” He was still processing everything, as she was. She sat down soundly, looking at the horizon instead of him. She saw the sun going down; in some minutes no one would wonder what were two teens doing on the roof of a three story building. 

Marinette was too confused, if Chat liked Ladybug, did that mean Adrien liked her? Or was it just the mystery of the mask? And then more important, and even more complicated… if she liked Adrien did that mean she liked Chat Noir? They were the same person, but they were so different. Day and night. Quite literally, one took up her mornings and the other her nights.

Even though she couldn’t fathom (yet) Chat Noir being Adrien, she started revising details of both of them, and that helped her see how they were just one person. First, Adrien’s constant disappearances, how Chat had known that Volpina’s Adrien was just an illusion, the feel she had seen the window behind Chat Noir, that time Adrien had said Ladybug had his mother’s smile (that was definitely too Chat Noir, how hadn’t she noticed?), the kindness of Chat Noir, how he had appeared inside Le Grand Paris when it was closed by Kung Food… she felt so blind to have missed so much.


	9. Today is Thursday, Marinette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The not-so-epic conclusion you've not been waiting for because i posted it all on one day.

Adrien’s head was spinning, but he felt good. He now knew that Marinette didn’t hate him. He wasn’t sure how to proceed with everything else, but he was glad to know such an amazing girl was behind the mask. And what was that about the love square? So Chat Noir liked Ladybug, and so did he (duh!) but Ladybug didn’t like Chat Noir back… because Marinette liked someone else? Oooooh… so, she liked him. Well, she liked Adrien, not Chat Noir. Life was too confusing at times like this... but everything had gone better than he had expected. 

Still, one doubt remained…

“Marinette?”

“Hmm?” She said without turning.

“Why did you say you had a paper due tomorrow?”

“Because we do. Mme. Bustier said ‘For next Thursday’. Tomorrow it’s Thursday... so, it’s for tomorrow.”

“Today is Thursday, Marinette. We have the whole week.” He laughed softly, she really was distrait. He decided to take a chance, after all she had kind of accepted she liked him. Partially, at least.

He stood up slowly, not sure of his stability when he wasn’t Chat Noir. “Well, my lady. As I said, the mew-ment you change your mind I am paw-sitive to help you.” He bowed down.

 

It seemed Adrien had taken things better than her, going back to being his cat-self. She turned her head towards him, and she was “paw-sitively” surprised to what she saw. It seemed the mask did boost his self-esteem, as he was now trying to cover his face with both of his hands, a deep blush going from his neck all the way to his ears. “Sorry” he said tamely. 

“Thanks but no thanks, kitty.” At least she had discovered something; it was easier to talk to him if she thought of him as Chat Noir first and foremost, instead of the unreachable too-perfect-to-be-true Adrien Agreste. “Anyway, I think I should get going, my parents won’t take long to get back home…”

“So, are we okay?”

“Yeah, I think so, you?”

“Definitely”.

That was good; the hardest part was done; now they would have to see what awaited them.

 

God, today had really been a hard day.


End file.
